Up First from NPR – Episode Summary: “Gisèle Pelicot Tells Her Story”

Date: February 15, 2026
Host: Ayesha Rascoe
Guest: Gisèle Pelicot (interviewed by Michelle Martin, with interpreter)
Theme: A survivor’s courageous account at the heart of a landmark French mass rape trial – on choosing public testimony, living with betrayal, and refusing to let shame silence her story.

Overview

This episode of “The Sunday Story” on Up First centers on French survivor Gisèle Pelicot’s firsthand account of her experiences as a victim in an unprecedented mass rape trial. Pelicot describes her journey from discovering the unimaginable crimes her husband and dozens of other men committed against her, through deciding to publicize the trial, to finding strength, dignity, and purpose in telling her story. Her new memoir, A Hymn to Life, explores not only her trauma but also her family’s pain and her enduring belief in love and hope for victims’ voices to be heard.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Discovering the Truth and Initial Reactions

• Shock and Disassociation:

  • Pelicot recounts being summoned to the police station and shown incriminating photos of herself, completely unrecognizable and drugged by her now-ex-husband.
    • “I just don't recognize that woman. I don't recognize the place… it hit me like a TGV or high speed train … It was like a tsunami.” (06:53, 07:12, Pelicot)
  • Cognitive dissonance prevented her from grasping the reality for a long time.
    • “It took me a long time to actually say the word rape.” (07:54, Pelicot)

• Double Trauma: Personal and Familial Impact

  • Pelicot emphasizes the ripple effect on her family, dispelling the myth that tragedy necessarily brings people closer.
    • “It’s false to think this type of tragedy brings people closer together. It doesn’t.” (12:54, Pelicot)
  • Relationships, especially with her daughter Caroline, became very strained as the whole family struggled to process the betrayal.
    • “Everyone is trying to heal and sort of rebuild at their own pace.” (12:54, Pelicot)

Writing "A Hymn to Life"

• Genesis of the Book:
  • The idea to write came from external encouragement—Pelicot hoped her story would help others.
    • “Maybe what was happening to me could help other people. It could serve a purpose.” (04:18, Pelicot)
• Collaboration and Trust:
  • Co-written with journalist Judith Perrignon, Pelicot found the process healing, trusting in her collaborator’s empathy.
    • “She helped me work through a lot of difficulties…I trusted her completely.” (05:04, Pelicot)
• Family Generations & Resilience:
  • The book tells a larger story of three women—herself, her mother, and her grandmother—detailing their pain, resilience, and lust for life.
    • “I just found meaning in all of that.” (05:42, Pelicot)

The Courage to Choose an Open Trial

• From Shame to Reclamation
  • Initially leaning toward privacy due to shame, walking and reflection led Pelicot to choose openness.
    • “The shame needed to change sides. And by having the closed trial, I was giving them a gift.” (01:00, 14:25, Pelicot)
    • “This was not just my trial, but… for all women who suffered sexual violence.” (14:25, Pelicot)
• Impact of Going Public:
  • Her voice resonated internationally, leading to support letters from across the world—evidence of a collective need for change.
    • “I never realized that my voice…would echo throughout the world.” (15:29, Pelicot)

Navigating Blame, Support, and Societal Stigma

• Victim Blaming & Facing Humiliation
  • Pelicot addresses being falsely accused of consent and complicity, and the general tendency in society to blame victims.
    • “I was considered consenting, complicit, a suspect…What saved me is that we had the proof.” (17:24, Pelicot)
• Importance of Evidence and Solidarity
  • Recognizes her rare position of having irrefutable proof, while most victims face skepticism.
    • “When victims speak out, they need to be heard, they need to be recognized.” (17:24, Pelicot)

Understanding Betrayal, Grieving, and Moving Forward

• Complexity of Remembering Love Amid Violence
  • Despite the horror, Pelicot refuses to erase happy memories with her husband—honoring the good is key to her survival.
    • “Those 50 years weren't a lie, to keep on living… I try and remember only the best.” (11:35, Pelicot)
• Living with Unanswered Questions:
  • She acknowledges that she may never fully understand why her husband acted as he did.
    • “I choose light. Mr. Pellico chose darkness. …Will I ever have the answer? I don’t know.” (23:28, Pelicot)
  • She still intends to confront him directly.
    • “Yeah, I do intend to speak with him…as part of my rebuilding.” (24:51, Pelicot)

Messages of Hope and Resilience

• Survival as a Blessing and Message to Others:
  • Profound gratitude for life, and a call for other victims to trust in their own voice and worth.
    • “I’m lucky to be alive…Don’t doubt yourself. Don’t doubt that little voice that’s telling you what you need to do.” (21:18, Pelicot)
  • “Keep your eyes on the future…stand tall in your dignity.” (22:35, Pelicot)
• Capacity for Love Despite Wounds:
  • Pelicot ends by declaring her belief in love, affirming its necessity for existence.
    • “If I don’t love, I don’t exist. And I need to keep on loving.” (26:21, Pelicot)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I said to myself that the shame needed to change sides.” — Gisèle Pelicot (01:00, 14:25)
• “I didn’t recognize that woman…it hit me like a TGV…” — Pelicot (07:12)
• “It’s false to think this type of tragedy brings people closer together. It doesn’t.” — Pelicot (12:54)
• “I wanted them to be convicted…I knew that they were guilty and I was not guilty, despite the defense trying to say that I was.” — Pelicot (17:24)
• “I still need to believe in love...If I don’t love, I don’t exist.” — Pelicot (26:21)
• “You have to believe in life. You have to trust.” — Pelicot (26:21)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Introduction; trigger warning and case overview | | 01:00 | Decision to make the trial public (Pelicot’s words) | | 03:52 | Start of Michelle Martin’s interview | | 04:18 | Why she wrote the book | | 06:53 | Learning about the crimes; shock and disassociation | | 10:03 | Realizing the presence of attackers in daily life | | 11:35 | Balancing happy memories with trauma | | 12:54 | Family impact and strained relations | | 14:25 | The choice to go public and its significance | | 17:24 | Facing stigma and victim-blaming | | 20:36 | Most difficult moment—telling her children | | 21:18 | Gratitude for survival and message to victims | | 22:35 | Advice on dignity and resilience | | 23:28 | The unanswered question: why? | | 26:21 | Affirmation of love and hope |

Final Thoughts

This episode is a powerful chronicle of Gisèle Pelicot’s choice to share her story on her own terms, shining a spotlight on issues of shame, victim-blaming, and the vital need for solidarity among survivors. It’s a testament to the resilience found in vulnerability, and a clarion call for moving the shame away from those who suffer toward those who perpetrate. Pelicot’s voice, full of sorrow yet suffused with hope, offers connection to those seeking to understand the impacts of such crimes and sends a message of dignity and strength to all survivors.